The mother of a prostitute murdered in 1992 has claimed that police are probing a link between her daughter’s death and that of five Ipswich women.

It comes in the wake of a string of killings which have horrified the close-knit community in the town.

Since December 2, five women have been found dead after being dumped in the area, prompting a massive manhunt by Suffolk Police.

Lin Pearman, whose daughter Natalie was murdered in Norwich, told the Daily Mail: “The police have contacted me. I believe there may have been things done to the bodies of the women that could link them to what happened to Natalie.

“The police said as soon as there is confirmation of a strong link I will be the first to know about it.”

Natalie’s body hair had been shaved off, said the paper.

But police said earlier they were not linking Natalie’s murder to the latest killings, adding that they could not comment on reports that the Ipswich women’s body hair had been shaved, but their jewellery left on.

Detectives are expected to reveal the findings of post-mortem tests on one of the five women today.

Home Office pathologist Dr Nat Cary examined the body of the woman late last night.

Officers are checking a report that one of the victims – Anneli Alderton – was seen getting into a blue BMW in the Ipswich red-light area last week.